MIAMI — This was not necessarily adding appetizing foreign flavor by choice. When the Heat acquired Simone Fontecchio in a July trade with the Detroit Pistons, it was more a matter of moving off of Duncan Robinson‘s money.
But that doesn’t mean the Heat didn’t have their acquisition well scouted.
No, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra during the 2024 offseason was not studying game tape of Fontecchio for his day job. But as an assistant with Team USA’s Olympic coaching staff, insight was gained nonetheless, insight that now has Spoelstra comfortable playing the 3-point specialist as more than just a 3-point specialist.
“Italy was my scout when I was an assistant with Team USA,” Spoelstra said of his role on Steve Kerr’s staff. “He was a stud over there for his national team, putting up big numbers and shouldering that weight you have when you’re the number-one option.”
Now the role is different, but one that also has been stable in Spoelstra‘s initial season-opening rotation, with the Heat moving on to Sunday night’s home opener against the New York Knicks at Kaseya Center.
Fontecchio, 29, scored 13 in the Heat’s season-opening road loss to the Orlando Magic and then 14 in Friday night’s road rout of the Memphis Grizzlies, when he shot 4 of 8 on 3-pointers.
“For us, it’s a different option,” said Spoelstra, who has been playing Fontecchio ahead of Pelle Larsson, among others “We like his competitiveness. He, obviously, can really shoot the ball, but he’s not limited to that.
“He’s able to do other things like put the ball on the floor, fly off screens or just space off of your better players. We’re just really thankful that we have him with us.”
When it comes to Fontecchio film, Spoelstra is buff.
“Italy was my scout, so I literally watched every single one of his games for two years over there,” said Spoelstra, who since has been promoted to Team USA head coach for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic cycle. “He’s an explosive number-one option for Italy. When you shoulder those kinds of responsibilities and have everyone game-planning against you, yet still are able to have big games, that was really impressive.”
Spoelstra got to view Fontecchio up close at both the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Paris Olympics.
“He was one of my favorite players from both of those tournaments” he said
Fontecchio was acquired in cap-savings machinations when Robinson held a $20 million Heat player option for this season, with Fontecchio due $8.3 million this season in the final year on his contract. The Heat then bypassed the late-August deadline to waive Fontecchio for cap and tax savings via the stretch provision.
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“When (we got) the opportunity to acquire him, I felt like I knew his game really well,” Spoelstra said. “I thought he’d be a really good fit.
“He competes on the defensive end, as well. So, I think that will continue to get better.”
The tapes of Fontecchio might not have been Fellini-esque, but they captured Spoelstra’s imagination enough to remain mindful, including face time this summer in Italy.
“I always felt from them the desire to keep in touch with me and to keep them updated, keep them posted,” Fontecchio said. “And obviously the visit that Coach made to Rome to come to see me was very special and I really appreciated it.”
From there, Fontecchio continued to make enough of an impression to become a rotation player from the outset.
“You always need that period of time to adapt,” Fontecchio said of what hasn’t proven to be much of an adjustment at all.
“Whatever the coaching staff needs from me, I’ll do it.”
G League draft
The Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, selected five players in Saturday’s G League Draft: Cam Carter (sixth), Josh Cohen (14th), Dischon Thomas (35th), Darius Maddox (37th) and Tyler Hawkins (47th).
Carter, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard out of LSU, played his senior season at LSU after two seasons at Kansas State and two at Mississippi State.
Cohen, a 6-10, 220-pound forward from USC, played his final collegiate season at USC after time at UMass and Saint Francis (Pa.).
Thomas, a 6-9, 235-pound forward out of Montana, played two seasons for the Grizzlies after spending three at Colorado State.
Maddox, a 6-5, 195-pound guard from George Mason, played two seasons with the Patriots after three at Virginia Tech.
Hawkins, a 6-3, 175-pound guard from Barry University, played two seasons with the Buccaneers after a year at Pittsburg State.
